When The Butterflies Die Out
by AshtonLanteigne
Summary: What happens when the butterflies die out? Rated T because I'm paranoid.


Harry Potter hadn't left his dorm since the beginning of the school year, relying on his close friends Ron Weasly, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, and Blaise Zabini to bring him his meals.

When asked what was wrong, he never answered, merely avoided their gazes and walked away or went back to whatever he was doing, whether it be reading, studying, or sleeping.

His friends were immensely worried, but one person in particular was just tipped off.

She knew what was happening. She had noticed it weeks ago, when Harry had first started avoiding her. She was many things, but a fool? Absolutely not.

Ginny Weasly didn't know what she did wrong, but she knew she did something, because why else would her Harry lock himself away to avoid her? Today was the last straw. She had come up to the shared quarters of the Eighth Years to retrieve her forgotten Potions book, only to find Harry sitting in a red armchair, Neville sat in the blue one on the other side of the chess table.

Both boys seemed invested in the game, but snapped their heads in her direction when she threw her bag to the ground in a fit of rage. Neville seemed transfixed, staring at her unblinking, his face pale and gleaming with sweat. Harry just looked downright horrified.

 _Good_ , Ginny thought angrily, glaring at her supposed boyfriend. _He very well should be afraid of me._

"Neville Longbottom! Luna has been worried sick, asking everybody in our Potions class if they have seen you! Is playing chess against Potter really that much more important than your worried girlfriend?" Ginny demanded, hands on her hips as she turned her cold, brown eyed glare onto her friend.

"I'm actually sick, Ginny," Neville mumbled in return, shifting his body so he could look at her without hurting his neck. "I have a fever and everything. I just didn't feel like bothering Madame Pomfrey..."

"Oh," Ginny replied, staring at her friend dumbly. "I'll tell Luna, then."

"Yes, thank you."

Ginny looked back to Harry, who was curled in on himself and looking anywhere but at her.

"Ah, Neville?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"Mind going and getting a pepper up potion, after all? Madame Pomfrey won't mind at all." Ginny smiled at Neville, and the boy nodded vigoriously, not wanting to have to deal with Ginny's possible rage if he denied.

As soon as he was gone, Ginny turned back around only to find Harry tiptoeing towards the stairs, obviously about to head up to his dorm.

"Nope," she mumbled, casting a quick spell to turn the stairs into a slide. Harry slid all the way to the bottom, staring up at Ginny through crooked glasses.

"Explain."

He honestly looked like a confused child for a few moments, obviously racking his brain for the meaning of her question, before realization finally dawned on him.

"I'm sorry."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "For what? Avoiding me and making me feel like absolute crud?"

"For allowing the butterflies to die Out," Harry replied, lowering his gaze to the ground as he began fidgeting with the hem of his blue T-shirt.

Ginny stared at him in shock, obviously taken aback. "Excuse me? Could you explain that statement, perhaps?"

Harry sighed heavily, reaching up to right his glasses before meeting Ginny's gaze. "I've been avoiding you because I don't feel anything for you anymore."

If Ginny were to say she wasn't hurt by those words, she'd be lying through her teeth. "And you didn't think it would be a good idea to _tell_ me?"

Harry looked away, once again staring at the ground. "I was too afraid to say anything," he whispered, looking immensely ashamed of himself. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"And so you avoid me and hurt me anyways," Ginny stated simply, crossing her arms.

"I'm sorry."

Ginny sighed, Harry looked absolutely pathetic as he sat there, wallowing in self-pity and shame. "Tell me, Harry, what made you realize you didn't have any feelings for me anymore?"

"When you last kissed me."

Ginny closed her eyes and huffed. Yes, she remembers that moment. It was right after they had reunited at Hogwarts for their Eighth Year, as soon as they had sat down in one of the few empty compartments on the train.

She had noticed something was off when he didn't kiss back, but she just brushed it off as shock due to how they hadn't kissed since before he left in the summer to fix up Grimmauld Place (which he had inherited upon Sirius' death) so it was more lively.

"I should have known..." Ginny mumbled to herself, opening her eyes to find that Harry had climbed to his feet and was currently adjusting his clothing.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny..." Harry whispered, shuffling his feet awkwardly.

"It's alright, Harry," Ginny replied softly, eyes downcast as she turned to leave, "Just... Give me time. I'm sure we can get back to being just friends in no time."

Harry nodded, though she couldn't see it, "Yeah, I'm sure we can."

"Goodbye, Harry," Ginny said, before exiting the Eight Year common room and heading back to her class.

"Ooh, who's the love potion for?" Luna asked breathlessly, her signature serene smile plastered upon her face as she stood in the doorway of the near-empty classroom.

Ginny gave a small smile in return as she motioned for her friend to enter. "The object of my affections." She quickly poured the potion into a dozen small vials, closing them off and shoving them into the pockets of her robes.

She then pulled out her wand and pointed it at Luna, "Obliviate."

"Oh, hello Ginny. I don't seem to recall how I got here..." Luna mumbled, before exiting the room.

"And you never will," Ginny mumbled, before making her way down to the kitchens, politely asking the House Elves for a container of Treacle Tarts.

When asked why, Ginny simply replied with, "Well, me and Harry had a bit of a falling out and I wanted to give him a peace offering to show I bear him no ill will."


End file.
